Filling carrier for shuttleless looms



March 15, 1960 M. R. FLAMAND 2,928,427

FILLING CARRIER FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS Filed Jan. 8 1959 INVENTOR. MAURICE R. F LAMAND A TTORNE Y Maurice R. Flamand, Lonsdale, R.I., assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine Application January 8, 1959, Serial No. 785,596

4 Claims. (Cl. 139-123) This invention pertains to improvements in filling carriers for use in shuttleless looms, that is, looms of a type in which the filling is supplied from a source outside of the shuttle or filling inserting means itself.

It is a general object of the invention to improve 'the construction and operation of filling carriers of the type described such that when a filling carrier inadvertently penetrates the warp threads formingthe upper shed, it can do so and return without breaking ortearing any of the warp threads. Q

It is a further object of the invention to devise a filling inserting carrier of such construction that upon penetration by the carrier of the threads forming the upper shed, such threads are caused to be deflected either completely above or completely below the carrier without being caught between the sides thereof so as not to tear or break any of said threads. The loom can be set on a two-try basis so that although it misses a pick, it will continue to run. Of course, if high quality fabric is desired then the loom should be set to stop whenever a pick is missed.

Other objects will be apparent from the disclosure which follows.

In so-called shuttlelesslooms, that is, those looms in' which filling is supplied from an outside source and is not carried to and fro through the shed by the shuttle or carrier itself, it is customary to insert each pick of filling by two reciprocating elements, one of which may hereinafter be referred to as an inserter or inserting member and the other of which receives or has transferred to it that loop of filling projected into the shed by the first member and which may hereinafter be re-' ferred to as a filling receiving or filling extending carrier. This latter member is normally provided with a hooked element by which the filling is seized and trapped and through which or past which the filling-may move endwise so that the action of the carrier to which the said inserted loop is transferred is one of merely drawing through or extending an end which will have been severed to the precise length to complete the pick. It is customary to provide some sort of tensioning means functioning in cooperation with the hooked member on such filling extending carriers and it is the inserting member with which the instant invention is concerned.

In such looms it sometimes happens that, due to a sudden increase in tension applied to the filling thread during its initial introduction into the shed by the inserting carrier or for other reasons, the latter is caused to deflect upwardly and to inadvertently penetrate the warp threads forming the upper portion of the shed at the same time breaking hundreds of these threads. The warp stop motion shuts off the loom and much time is lost in connecting the broken ends of the threads.

According to they invention inserting carriers'of the prior art, such as those in United States Patents 2,586,638 and 2,705,508, have been modified so as to permit free passage of the carrier, should it be deflected upwardly, between the warp threads in the upper shed without break- 2,928,427 Patented Mar. 15, teen ing any of the threads. Consequently, the loom can continue running without stopping.' Since this deflection of the carrier occurs fairly frequently where large numbers of looms are employed, the resultant savings in time can be substantial where the device of the present invention is employed.

The invention will hereinafter "be described in greater detail by reference to the accompanying figures of drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the operating end of th filling inserting carrier.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same carrier.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the carrier as seen from the left side of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the end' portion of a modified form of inserting carrier.

Fig. 6 in an end view of the carrier of Fig. 5 looking from the left side thereof.

Reference to U.S. Patent No. 2,705,508 will give a more complete understanding of the transfer of filling thread from the inserting member to the filling receiving carrier and the means for driving these carriers, none of which forms a part of the present invention. f

In Fig. 1 there is shown at 10 a tape or carrier which i is preferably used to reciprocate the thread inserting car-' rier indicated as a somewhat box-like structure by the numeral 11. The top planar portion has a notch 12 and the lower portion has a notch 13 which cooperates therewith. The lower portion is cut away to an extent defined by the parallel sides 14, this recess or cut-out portion providing for entry of a cooperating part of the filling extending carrier (not shown). The offset of the notches 12 and 13 from the true vertical is advisable since the thread is held at an incline corresponding thereto as it is picked up incidental to being inserted. Of course, it is to be understood that the filling thread is supported outside'or at any convenient point at the end of the loom structure and a stretch thereof is caused to assume a proper position to be engaged by the inserter by the filling handling means not necessary of description here.

The inserter has side portions 15 and 16 that present points 17 and 18 which facilitate the entry and passageof the carrier through the open shed. The point 19 which completes one of the bounding sides of the notch 13 is caused to assume a somewhat elevated position as illustrated in Fig. 2 by bending the metal upwardly so as to avoid any possibility of this part of the inserter catching on the warp threads over which the lower surface of the carrier passes during its inserting movement.

In Figs. 1 and 3 a forwardly extending lip portion 20 forms one of the sides of the notch 12 and extends across the major portion of the top surface in the direction of the side portion 16.

In operation, as the inserting carrier is entering the shed and should it be deflected upwardly due to an increase in tension being applied to the filling thread or for any other reason, threads in the upper portion of the warp will be deflected either upwardly or downwardly by the point 17. Those deflected upwardly will then be carried along the forward edge and at an angle laterally of the extended lip 20 a sufficient distance so as to pass outwardly of the openings of the notches 12 and 13 and over the top and to the right of the carrier beyond the notch 12. It is therefore impossible for these threads to be trapped between the side portions 15 and 16 in either of the notches of the carrier. The threads deflected downwardly will pass completely beneath the carrier. The carrierwill continue'to be carried to its full, extent without breaking any warp threads and will then be retracted. The loom E511 e ontinii'e "to runbn "a two try basis as pointed out iboveand no damage will have been done.

In Figs. and 6 a modified form of carrier is shown wherein the lip portionis bent upwardly as indicated at VThis makes possible'the use of aishorter lip while sti retaining the advantages of the modification shown While one embodiment and a modification of'the invention have been 'disclosed,it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carriediout in an'umber of ways. This'inventionis, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace prevent warp threads from side portionswh'en said carrier inadvertently penetrates the upper shed. v V

3. For a loom having reciprocable carriers by which filling from an outside source of supply'isinserted within sheds formed by warp threads, a filling inserting carrier adapted .to insert a loop 'of filling part way through a warp shed which comprises frontiand rear side portions,

all variations .and modifications thereof fallingwithin the i spirit of 'the "invention and thescope of the claims.

I claim:

.l rFor a'loom having reciprocable'carriers'by which fi'llirigfroni an outside source of supply is inserted within shedsformed by warp threads, a .filling'inserting carrier J sheds formed by Warp threads, a "filling inserting carrier adapted to insert a loop of filling part way through a f a shed which comprises front and rear side portions notched upp'erand. lower portions, andtmea'ns defining a V "forwardly extendin'glip on said upper portion effective to notched upper and lower portioris, and a curved,*forward- 1y extending lip on said upperportioneffective to permit free penetration by said carrier of adjacent warp threads in the upper shed without breaking any of said threads.

4; For a loorn having recip'rocable'carriers by which 1 filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed byl'warp threads, afilling inserting carrier adapted to insert a loop of filling part way through a warp'shedwhich comprises front and rear side portions, notchedkupper and slower portions, :and means defining a cured upwardly deflected lip =on-said upper portion effec'tive to permit free penetration by; said carrier of adjacent warp threads in the iuppershed without breaking anyioftsaidthreads, V N

fRelereT ics Cited'in the meet thispatent ff' uNrrEosTATEs PATENTS 659,9991

. Blanchard Oct. "16, 1900 1,944,839 p Verriere r Jan. 23, 1934 2,586,638 remand Feb.-19, 1952 $657,714 Ballber Nov. 3, 1953 f2,705;5 08 Flamand -4- Apr. 5, 1955 being trappedbetween said 

